In his letter, James confronts the root of conflict within the early church—not external persecution, but the inner turmoil born from selfish desire. He exposes how envy, greed, and pride fracture relationships and distance mankind from God. These tensions, James reveals, are not merely social issues but spiritual ones, reflecting divided hearts that seek worldly satisfaction rather than submission to God. His words serve as a piercing call to humility, repentance, and renewed devotion. He encourages his readers to follow a path from pride to peace—where surrender to God replaces striving, and purity of heart restores fellowship both with God and with others.
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
James 4:1-2 (NIV)
Hatred For Our Neighbours
What causes mankind to grow angry, hateful, and quarrelsome toward one another? James points to a deeper cause than mere disagreement—he identifies selfish motives and envy as the true roots of conflict. When people’s views do not align, they become agitated, and when they fail to obtain what they desire from others, frustration grows into resentment. This lack of love fuels divisions among us and ultimately distracts us from doing what Jesus asks of us.
Jesus commanded mankind to love one another, yet as relationships deepen, familiarity often breeds contempt. The closer people become, the more they see each other’s flaws, realising that neither side can change the other’s nature. As pretence fades, the hidden imperfections of both are revealed, and disappointment replaces affection. James reminds that such anger and hatred spring from covetousness and jealousy—when the heart is driven by self-interest rather than love, it inevitably turns against others. True peace, therefore, comes not from agreement or gain, but from humility and love that mirrors the heart of God.
Selfish Motives
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:3 (NIV)
Is our prayer about accomplishing our own way or listening to God’s way? James challenges this very question, revealing that much of what mankind calls prayer is often driven by self-interest rather than surrender. Most prayers, as he suggests, are requests centred on personal needs and desires—our 99.9% petitions reflect a mindset of seeking comfort, success, or satisfaction rather than communion with God. While God, like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, may grant our wishes even if they lead us astray, these responses should not be mistaken for God’s approval of our desires.
Over time, many have misinterpreted Scripture as an invitation to ask merely for worldly provision, forgetting that God already knows our needs before we speak. In doing so, we have subtly reduced the Creator to a provider of our demands—a kind of heavenly genie who answers our every request. True prayer, however, is not about instructing God but aligning the heart with His will. It is a conversation that seeks His purpose above our own, restoring reverence where selfishness once ruled.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4 (NIV)
Why are we not able to leave behind friendship with this world? James exposes this as a matter of divided loyalty—a heart that has not fully trusted what God offers. The world entices mankind with pleasures, recognition, and control, convincing us that these can satisfy us more than God can. We chase after its rules and rewards because we still doubt the sufficiency of His presence. Yet, as James declares, friendship with the world makes one an enemy of God, for the two are incompatible.
No one clings to an old phone after receiving a new one, unless they have never truly experienced the value of the new. Likewise, those who still hold on to the world have not fully tasted the joy and assurance that come from walking with God. Only when a person is confident in their relationship with Him can they let go of their old attachments. The lingering jealousy, anger, pride, and hatred within us reveal that our hearts are not yet wholly surrendered.
Coming Closer to God
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you
James 4:7-8 (NIV)
The nearer we draw to God and His presence, the weaker the power of the evil one becomes over us. His attempts to sway us toward the world lose their hold when our hearts are anchored in God. Just as in a workplace, where being close to the CEO gives a person authority that even immediate managers respect, the closer we are to the true “CEO” of our lives, the more powerless the enemy becomes to interfere with our path.
Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, God patiently waits for us to return. He does not demand perfection before we come; He only asks that we begin the journey toward Him, and He promises to meet us along the way—running to embrace and restore us. Yet, the prince of this world works tirelessly to blind our eyes so that we do not even find the road that leads back to our Father.
Therefore, James urges complete surrender—not partial or momentary devotion, but a life wholly submitted to God. When we yield every part of our being to Him, not just our Sunday mornings, we begin to witness His transforming power working in ways beyond imagination—turning weakness into strength, distance into intimacy, and temptation into victory.
On Judging Others
Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
James 4:11 (NIV)
Why should we not slander anyone? James warns that slander and judgment arise from the same corrupt root that fuels quarrels—pride and selfish desire. When we hear accusations about someone, we are often quick to believe them because it affirms the dislike or resentment already growing in our hearts. In doing so, we forget that the same God who extends grace to us also extends grace to those we condemn. Slander, then, becomes not only a sin against another person but an act of defiance against God’s mercy.
Often, we judge others to hide our own flaws, shifting attention away from our weaknesses. Such behaviour springs from the evil desires within the heart, not from righteousness. James reminds that when we speak against others, we place ourselves above the law rather than submitting to it—forgetting that there is only one true Judge.
As we draw nearer to God, we may find that the world’s response is hatred and misunderstanding. Yet, if our love for God is genuine, that hatred will not shake us. The strength to endure such rejection and resist the temptation to slander comes only through a real, daily walk with God—where His grace humbles us, His truth purifies us, and His presence teaches us to respond with mercy instead of judgment. All we need to do is submit ourselves to our Father, and He will transform our lives to be worthy of being called His children.
Discussion Topics
- What causes mankind to grow angry, hateful, and quarrelsome toward one another?
- Is our prayer about accomplishing our own way or listening to God’s way?
- Why are we not able to leave behind friendship with this world?
- Why do we need to submit our lives to God?
- Why should we not slander anyone?
The Jordan Valley 
Reply